Administratively, Cuba is divided into 15 provinces and a special municipality that is not included in any province. The last modification was approved in August 2010, splitting Havana province into two new provinces: Artemisa and Mayabeque. The new provinces started functioning from January 1, 2011. Havana City Province recovered its original name: La Habana.
Villa Clara is one of the provinces of Cuba. It is located in the central region of the island bordering with the Atlantic at north, Matanzas Province by west, Sancti Spiritus Province by east, and Cienfuegos Province on the South. Villa Clara shares with Cienfuegos and Sancti Spiritus on the south the Escambray Mountain Range. Its main cities are Santa Clara, Remedios, Sagua La Grande, Camajuani, Caibarién, Ranchuelo, Placetas, and Manicaragua.
Santa Clara is the capital city of the Cuban province of Villa Clara. It is located in the most central region of the province and almost in the most central region of the country. With a population near a quarter million, Santa Clara is the 5th largest Cuban city by population.
Yuniesky Betancourt Pérez is a Cuban professional baseball shortstop. Betancourt has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners, and Kansas City Royals. He played in the Cuban National Series for Villa Clara before he defected from Cuba. In 2019, he returned to the Cuban national baseball system after originally defecting from the country. However, he never played a game for Villa Clara in 2019. In Cuba, he is nicknamed "Riquimbili".
Ariel Pestano Valdés, better known as El Veterano, is a Cuban baseball catcher, and is known as one of the greatest catchers in Cuban history. He has won both silver and gold medals in the Olympic Games and also played catcher on Cuba's World Baseball Classic team in March 2006 and March 2009. In Cuba, Pestano plays with the Villa Clara Naranjas of the Cuban National Series.
The Azucareros de Villa Clara is a baseball club that plays in the Cuban National Series.
Matanzas are a baseball team in the Cuban National Series. Based in Matanzas Province, the Cocodrilos were formed after the dissolution of Henequeneros and Citricultores, two teams from Matanzas. The Cocodrilos have struggled to enjoy the success of their predecessors.
Ciego de Ávila is a baseball team in the Cuban National Series. Based in Ciego de Ávila Province, the Tigres have spent most of its history in the bottom reaches of the standings.
The Cuban National Series is the primary domestic professional baseball competition in Cuba. Formed after the dissolution of the Cuban League in the wake of the Cuban Revolution, the Series is a part of the Cuban national baseball system.
Santiago de Cuba won its first Cuban National Series in 1980, edging Villa Clara as well as Forestales and Vegueros.
Luis Borroto Jiménez is a Cuban baseball player. A pitcher with Villa Clara of the Cuban National Series, Borroto played for the Cuban national baseball team at the 2004 Summer Olympics and the 2006 World Baseball Classic.
Roger Machado Morales is a defensive-minded catcher with Ciego de Ávila of the Cuban National Series. He is the National Series' all-time leader in throwing out baserunners.
Eduardo Paret Pérez is a Cuban baseball player. He is a shortstop for Villa Clara of the Cuban National Series, and for the Cuban national baseball team.
Joan Carlos Pedroso Brooks is a first baseman for Las Tunas of the Cuban National Series, and the Cuban national baseball team. He was the backup first baseman for the second place Cuban team at the 2006 World Baseball Classic.
Leslie Anderson Stephes is a first baseman/outfielder who is currently a free agent.
The 25th Cuban National Series was the first to feature four-team-playoffs with the first- and second-place teams from each of the new Western and Eastern zones.
The 33rd Cuban National Series saw further dominance from the previous year's group winners: Pinar del Río, Industriales, Villa Clara and Santiago de Cuba. Among them, only Pinar del Río won its group by fewer than seven games, in a 65-game season.
Antonio Scull Hernández is a first baseman with Industriales of the Cuban National Series and a longtime member of the Cuban national baseball team. Representing Cuba, Scull won gold medals at the 1996 and 2004 Summer Olympics and won a silver medal in 2000.
Leonys Martín Tápanes, nicknamed "Ikadi", is a Cuban-American professional baseball center fielder for the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Born in Cuba, he played locally for Villa Clara of the Cuban National Series, and for the Cuban national baseball team in international competitions, including the 2009 World Baseball Classic.
José Dariel Abreu Correa is a Cuban-born professional baseball first baseman for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in the Cuban National Series for Cienfuegos before his defection in August 2013. After being granted free agency by MLB, Abreu signed with the White Sox in October 2013. Since 2013, Abreu has performed primarily as a first baseman, however he has also filled in at designated hitter for the White Sox.
